The Exclusivity Of Jesus Christ.

THE EXCLUSIVITY OF JESUS CHRIST

I am a member of an exclusive club! I have a Cabela's Club Credit Card. With this card, I receive many great blessings. Wherever I go and make purchases, I build up points in my Cabela's Club account. With these points, I can redeem them to get all kinds of hunting, fishing, and outdoors equipment and toys. It is awesome!

I have other credits that I can choose to use, but none of them will earn me Cabela's points. None of them bless me with free hunting/fishing toys. If I want these points, I must use my Cabela's Card. It is the only card that gets me these points. It is exclusive.

Today, we are going to talk about salvation and about Jesus Christ. As we examine Scripture, we will find out that salvation is found only through Jesus Christ. He is exclusive. If you want to be saved, only Christ can save you.

1. THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

A. God’s Motivation for Salvation.

Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

God’s desire is for salvation to all people. His love compelled Him to sacrifice Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins so that people might be saved thru faith in Him.

B. The Condition of those who haven’t believed in Him.

Jn 3:18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Jesus revealed important truths with this verse.

(1) Those who believe in Jesus are saved.

(2) Those who reject Jesus are lost and already condemned.

(3) Those who haven’t rejected Him, but haven’t yet believed are condemned.

** This is important because Jesus is saying that those who have not believed are already on their way to hell and until and unless you come to faith in Christ, you have no hope of going to Heaven when you die.

Good intentions of getting saved “one day” are irrelevant.

C. The Only Way to Heaven.

If His teachings were not clear enough in John 3:16-18, the truth of the exclusivity of salvation thru Jesus Christ becomes crystal clear in 14:6.

Jn 14:6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

(1) Jesus is the only Way to Heaven. There are not many ways to Heaven. No other religion, no other teaching, There is no other way!

(2) Jesus is Truth and the only source of absolute Truth. Every other religion or spiritual teaching apart from Jesus and the Bible is false.

(3) Jesus is the only Mediator between God the Father and man. No other person whether dead or alive is your “go-between” with God.

** Mohammed can’t save you. Buddha can’t. Your good deeds can’t. Jesus is God and He, alone, is God. There is no other God. He alone died for your sins. He alone can save you!

2. THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES.

A. Their Admission to Jesus Christ.

Great crowds had been following Jesus and were amazed by His miracles and teachings about the love of God. Then, He began to preach sermons about Lordship and how anyone who would believe must take up his cross and follow Him. The Jewish people were very familiar with the horror of crucifixion as they had all witnessed it. His teachings on His flesh and blood also appalled them. So, many fell away and quit following Him.

Jn 6:66-69 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Peter knew Jesus to be God in the flesh. He fully believed that Jesus was the only source of salvation.

B. Their Testimony to the World.

One day Peter had healed a man by the power of the Holy Spirit. Later he preached a bold sermon to a group of people and the Sadducees came with guards and put him and John in jail. The next morning they were questioned about the healings they performed and asked “by what power have you done this?” He answered “By the name of Jesus Christ whom you crucified!” Peter went on to add this about salvation.

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”